Martial Conquest of the Nine Desolates

Xiao Ye smiled slightly, "Then I must thank Miss Gu for her kindness."

After speaking, Xiao Ye took his place to the side and waited for the trial to begin.

As for the disciples of the various sects, upon realizing that it was really Xiao Ye who came, they all looked as gloomy as if they had eaten a dead child.

This time, the successor of Marquis Kuang made it so that all the martial artists in Marquis Kuang's city could participate, which was challenging enough, but now even Xiao Ye had arrived.

Among them, not many had the confidence to compete against Xiao Ye for the prize.

"Ha-ha, Sky Sword Sect's youngsters, weren't you very proud before? Now that our Senior Brother Xiao Ye is here, why have you all fallen silent?"

"Exactly, you lot, didn't you think you could contend with us from Taiyi Palace for the secret technique? Now where's that confidence you had before?"

...

The five disciples from Taiyi Palace burst into laughter when they saw the sect disciples lowering their heads, not making a sound.

Xiao Ye shook his head silently, wondering why they had started fighting even before the trial had begun.

"Junior Brother, what is that secret technique? Have you participated in this several times before?" Xiao Ye curiously asked the young man beside him.

The young man excitedly said, "Senior Brother Xiao Ye, just call me Wang Hu."

"I indeed participated twice before, but I failed both times."

"This trial was set up by Marquis Kuang himself a thousand years ago. It's said that if you pass the trial, you could obtain one of his secret techniques."

"This secret technique was also the secret to how Marquis Kuang, as a Loose Cultivator, broke through to the Emperor Martial Realm, becoming a formidable figure among emperors."

"I and a few Senior Brothers happened to hear about it, so we come to participate during the Marquis Kuang memorial festival every year. After all, many disciples from the Heavenly Palace have already obtained their secret techniques, and even if many knew about it, they would not want to waste their time."

"Because many disciples from our Holy Palace do not highly regard a Loose Cultivator's secret technique."

"Oh?" Xiao Ye's eyes flashed with interest upon hearing this, "Does that mean this secret technique is an offensive one?"

"Yes!" Wang Hu nodded.

"What then is the content of this trial? Don't tell me that in a thousand years, no one has passed it?" Xiao Ye became curious, recalling what the Yellow Robed Woman had said earlier.

Hearing Xiao Ye mention this, Wang Hu gave a wry smile and nodded, "Yes, for a thousand years, no one has been able to pass the trial, so no one really knows the full power of the secret technique."

"As for the content of the trial, you'll find out when it's time for you to participate, Senior Brother Xiao Ye."

Seeing Wang Hu's evasive attitude towards discussing the content of the trial, Xiao Ye nodded and no longer inquired.

After all, the trial was about to start soon. It would be great if he could pass, but it would also be fine if he couldn't.

Just like Wang Hu said, the disciples of the Holy Palace didn't actually have high expectations for a Loose Cultivator's secret technique. After all, there were plenty of powerful secret techniques in the Holy Palace; there was no need to waste energy on this.

As time went by, all the martial artists on the square finished paying their respects to Marquis Kuang's stone statue.

"Everyone, please follow me," said the Yellow Robed Woman, sweeping a glance over the crowd before walking on air towards a certain direction in Marquis Kuang's city.

Xiao Ye and the Heavenly Palace Disciples by his side followed along.

As for the martial artists on the square, they also rushed over in a swarm, brimming with excitement.

Perhaps they would be able to obtain the secret technique passed down by Marquis Kuang; naturally, they were very excited.

After a period equivalent to the burning of a stick of incense, everyone under the lead of the Yellow Robed Woman arrived at a wilderness west of Marquis Kuang's city, looking grand and mighty.

The crowd curiously observed their surroundings, but only Xiao Ye noticed that something was amiss.

He noticed that there was a noticeable rift in the Heavenly Dome, appearing as though it led to a different space, filled with desolate and tragic air.

"It's the Emperor Martial World!"

Xiao Ye recognized it at a glance.

Having spent a considerable amount of time in Elder Long's Emperor Martial World, he was quite familiar with it.

Usually, after an Emperor Realm martial artist fell, their Emperor Martial World would also rapidly wither away.

The fact that Marquis Kuang's Emperor Martial World had persisted for a thousand years was indeed a testament to his remarkable abilities, Xiao Ye thought to himself.

Sure enough, the four disciples from the Heavenly Hall of Taiyi Palace who had participated several times, as well as disciples from other sects, all looked up at the rift in the Heavenly Dome, their expressions growing solemn.

"That is the Emperor Martial World left by my ancestor, preserved for a thousand years through a special method."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the location of the trial is within the Emperor Martial World. You may now enter, and if you pass the trial, you will naturally be teleported back out," the Yellow Robed Woman explained.

"You may now enter. If you feel you cannot withstand the content of the trial, you may opt to exit on your own. I will not hinder you. Go ahead and enter," the Yellow Robed Woman added.

"So that's the entrance to the Emperor Martial World? Shit, I've never seen what the Emperor Martial World looks like in my life; even just being able to go in is worth it!"

"Stop babbling, let's charge!"

...

Instantly, a large number of martial artists rushed towards the rift, and with a flash of their figures, they entered the Emperor Martial World.

Among these martial artists, the majority were at the King Martial Realm, with a few at the Void Martial Realm. Xiao Ye was speechless.

If the trial could be passed by martial artists of the Void Martial Realm, it wouldn't have lasted for a thousand years.

Swoosh!

Xiao Ye's figure turned into a lightning bolt, following the stream of people towards the rift in the Heavenly Dome.

Whoosh!

The next moment, Xiao Ye's vision blurred, and he descended from the sky into the midst of a dilapidated city.

Here, the sky was dark, and clouds gathered as if a fierce storm was about to come, and even the ground was violently trembling.

Xiao Ye took a closer look and was slightly stunned.

Because the city he stood in was incredibly ancient, filled with a sense of time-worn weariness, with buildings in ruin and the ground pockmarked.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

By then, more and more martial artists stood within the city, all passing through the rift to participate in the trial.

Arriving in the Emperor Martial World, they were equally amazed, unexpectedly encountering such a city within.

"Senior Brother Xiao Ye, it's about to start. Be careful," said the five disciples from the Heavenly Hall of Taiyi Palace who had flown in. Wang Hu approached with a serious expression.

"Start?"

Xiao Ye raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and was about to ask in detail when suddenly a vast presence rapidly swept across, covering the entire city and causing the buildings to transform dramatically.

Xiao Ye looked on, shocked.

At the same time, the ground also began to tremble violently, and terrifying roars echoed across the void.